If you are fortunate enough to ever lay eyes upon an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, you will be in extremely rare company. This is because the last sighting of this special bird was way back in 1944. While there are believed to be fewer than 50 of them still in existence, they are not yet considered to be extinct. This is a colorful bird that makes it worth looking for out in the wild, even if the chances are not good that you will actually spot one.

Quick Facts:

• The average life expectancy of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker is 30 years.
• The typical Ivory Billed Woodpecker weighs between 450 and 570 grams and is between 48 and 53 centimeters long.
• If you are to look for an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, you would want to be in either the Southeastern United States or Cuba.
• Ivory Billed Woodpeckers love an environment that is surrounded by swamps and pine trees.
• The Ivory Billed Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker species in the United States.
• Bird-watching enthusiasts refer to the Ivory Billed Woodpecker as the Holy Grail Bird. This is because it is so rare and exclusive.
• Nicknames given to the Ivory Billed Woodpecker through the years include King of the Woodpeckers and Elvis in Feathers.
• The tip of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker is unique because it has literally been flattened. It gives it the look and shape of a beveled wood chisel.
• Ivory Billed Woodpeckers can fly long distances and tend to do so at great heights.
• Ivory Billed Woodpeckers shun meat and are complete omnivores. They love beetle larvae but have also been known to feast on acorns, seeds from poison ivy, and pecans.